API in Pontianak reaches over 1,000

The air quality in Pontianak, West Kalimantan reached a very unhealthy level with the Air Pollution Index (API) reported to have surpassed 1,000 as at 2pm today.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency website at www.bmkg.go.id, the air quality in the city was the worst in Indonesia.

However, the local authorities have yet to declare a state of emergency in that province, as they declared for Riau province, yesterday.

The API in Pekanbaru, Riau was reported to be improving although still at the very unhealthy level with the API readings recorded at 250 and 300 this afternoon.

A local television broadcasting agency, Metronews, reported that witnesses had said the visibility in several areas in Pontianak was less than 100 metres and most residents only stayed at home.

Haze in the provinces caused by the forest fire and plantations in several areas of West Kalimantan was also reported to have spread to Malaysia and Singapore.

Indonesian National Armed Forces are helping to extinguish the fires in the affected areas.